Daily Chores

The Scullery

With a family of eight children, there were many chores to be done - and usually in the scullery. The boys brought in buckets of hot water from the outside washhouse for the deep bath, the girls washed dishes in an enamel basin, and everyone took turns to top up the hot water fountain on the wood fired stove. Food was also prepared here - loganberry jam, preserved fruit, and fresh milk was set for clotted cream and butter. There were no labour saving devices then. Tedious daily work was interspersed with fun and family life.

Once or twice a week Mr Maynard harnessed the horse to a jinker and drove to Victoria Market. He bought cases of fruit which he displayed for sale on a fruit barrow in the passage in the basement of the Old Treasury Building near the lift-well.